Worn out fabrics, especially denim, have enjoyed popularity in fashion industry due in particular to the finishing processes that can be applied to the fabric in order to create different appearances and thus different visible effects on the front side of the fabric, i.e. on the surface that is visible when the article made by the fabric is worn. In fact, the success in denim industry largely depends on creativity coming from a variety of fabric finishing processes that gives fabrics unique appearances.
The exterior appearance of a fabric, and thus of a clothing article made by the fabric, can be modified by using different finishing techniques.
A “used” or “vintage” or “worn-out” look of the fabric can be achieved by treating the fabric with a finishing process that is generally carried out on the garment or on the fabric. The known finishing processes may use specific chemicals, or mechanical abrasion, such as processes using stone-washing, acid wash, laser treatment and sandblasting. For example, in the stone washing, the fabric is washed in a cylinder in the presence of pumice stones. While the wash cylinder rotates, the fabric is contacted by the stones that will remove part of the yarn fibers including the dye present on said fibers.
In this case, when a fabric and, in particular, an indigo dyed woven fabric is used, wherein the indigo dye is located on the surface of the yarns leaving the core of the yarns undyed, a stone wash (or sand blast) finishing process can be applied to allow varying amounts of the undyed cores of the indigo yarns to become visible.
These different finishing treatments result in different visible effects, in particular worn-out appearance, which make the fabric fashionable in the clothing and textile industries. However, the visible effects and appearance that are obtainable by the known finishing treatments, are limited. Therefore, garments made by different producers are often similar one to another, thus reducing the commercial desirability of the product and the possibility to distinguish a product from those of another producer.
A further disadvantage of traditional stone washing is that the stones can damage the fabric.